The Unstable Woods
by Lux Aeterna714
Summary: Cinderpelt was in the woods at night to think for a while. She goes from mourning her unrequited love to swimming through the memories of her guilt.


The Unstable Woods

_**(Takes place midway through Dangerous Path, right after Brightpaw is attacked. I don't own Warriors or any of the characters mentioned in this story. A look at how I think the usually cheerful Cinderpelt would think of the tragic events of this book if she felt no one was watching.)**_

The crippled young she-cat sat down in the dark clearing and turned her head upwards to admire the stars of her warrior ancestors glittering brighter than diamonds above her head. She began to purr in contentment at the though of those who had passed looking down at her. Then she was a little put off. _If they can see me all the time, can they hear my thoughts? Do they know how I consider breaking the medicine cats code every day? Do they look down at me with pride or shame? _

She had kept the secret of her feelings for Fireheart for quite a while now. Ever since she had been his apprentice. It had been silly kit feelings then, but it had grown into a genuine love. As she had expected it to. It hurt to know she couldn't be with him. It hurt to see him slowly but surely fall in love with the spirited Sandstorm.

She had only told her brother and Yellowfang. The former was as patient and supportive about the confession as he was all the time while the latter had been insistent she never, _never _pursued the feelings. The young gray tabby still missed her mentor. Not a day went by she didn't think of how the former Shadowclan cat would snap at her, her voice annoyed but her eyes fond. Yellowfang would be sarcastic and at times brutal, but she had been close to her apprentice and had been more than just her trainer in healing.

Everything seemed to be falling apart in Thunderclan.

Yellowfang was dead; Snowkit and Swiftpaw were dead with Brightpaw veering on following him and Bluestar was so very far from having a stable mid or thought. She felt like if she wasn't careful then soon enough the ground itself would slip away form under her paws and she would be sucked away into the never-ending darkness, an endless abyss. She knew she shouldn't be out here alone, what with the dogs at the Snakerocks but she was on the other side of the woods. If need be she still had enough mobility in her crippled leg to climb a tree.

She still wished for Fireheart sometimes. She knew without a doubt that not only was being a medicine cat her destiny but it was also what she wanted. She loved it so much. But she still loved him. The turmoil and absolute chaos going on in the clans right now seemed so much less terrifying with him by her side. His bravery and his absolute willingness to bend and break the rules to do the right thing. How he could keep his head under pressure and how he was a natural born leader. She wasn't surprised that Sandstorm had fallen for him as well.

But this was a dangerous time for love. When the life in the forest was so unstable and more deadly than ever. Cinderpelt knew that no matter how much they tried to avoid it, cats were going to die because of these dogs.

_Cat's will all die eventually though won't they? I just hope we don't ever have to lose cats as young as Snowkit or Swiftpaw ever again. And Starclan forbid we lose Bluestar. Or Fireheart. Or anyone really. I can't have another cat die on me! _Images of a beautiful and sleek silver tabby with leaf green eyes flashed through her mind. They soon became tinged with blood and painful wails and crying kits and the yowls of grief from Graystripe and the shocked stared of the flame pelted tom she loved so much and the angered growls of the former Thunderclan deputy and the disgusted stares of her clanmates and the looks of pity from Fireheart and the overwhelming guilt that kept eating away at her and- _No! I will not fall into that again! I can't go through that again._

Defeated, Cinderpelt looked back up at the stars. Maybe it was her imagination but the seemed dimmed and dull. She trailed back to the ravine where her camp was and couldn't stop the negative thoughts that she knew would make her ancestors ashamed running through her mind.


End file.
